Tuesday, June 23, 2009

5 Years Ago Today

I left Vancouver and my abusive ex-husband for good with my 2 1/2 year and 8 month old daughters in tow.

I do not regret that decision for a moment.

Since then, I've gone from a desperate single mother living off of food stamps and Medicaid to a remarried stay-at-home with a full fridge and pantry and health insurance. I've gone from living with my parents to my own apartment to a condo shared with my husband to a house shared with my husband. I've gone from chronic pain due to endometriosis to a complete lack of pain. I've gone from a part-time job in a state park to a full time job to staying at home, taking a contract job, and starting my own business.

I've gone from lonely desperation to the kind of awesome marriage I'd never thought possible.

My kids have gone from being a toddler and baby with a disinterested-to-abusive father to being a 7 and almost 6 year old with a stepfather who treats them as if they were his own.

My life is completely opposite from the life I left and that's a very good thing.